Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Our world is rich with
color – in nature, in our homes and offices, in our clothing, in the visual
images on our computer screens and personal communication devices, and in the
printed materials we read.

Not so long ago using full
color in business printing added expense and time to production.

Not Anymore.

Digital
printing devices have dramatically changed the economics of full color
printing, leading to expanded use of color in branding, advertising and printed
products. This change means that marketing executives need to understand the
psychology of color and how it can be used to influence buyer behavior.

What
is color?

Color
results from energy waves grouped together in a color spectrum. In 1666, Sir
Isaac Newton observed that when pure white light passes through a prism, it
separates into single wave lengths of six different colors – violet, blue,
green, yellow, orange and red – that comprise the visible spectrum (the part of
the total spectrum that is visible to the human eye). A rainbow is a familiar
representation of the visible spectrum.

Color
has three dimensions – hue, value and chroma.

Hue is
the relative position of the color on the color wheel; its color family. The
words warmer and cooler are often used to describe differences in hue.

Value is
the lightness or reflectivity of a color. It is measured against a gray scale
of white at the top and black at the bottom. The words lighter and darker are
often used to describe differences in value.

Chroma is
the intensity, purity, clarity or saturation of a color. It is measured by how
far it departs from grayness. The terms clearer and grayer are often used to
describe differences in chroma.

Colorants
are the materials used to produce color – inks, toners, pigments, dyes or
phosphors.

Color
influences moods, feelings and behavior. Just as graphic design enhances the
power of ideas being communicated to an audience, the color choices used in a
design also work on the audience to invoke a response or influence behavior.

The
psychology of color is the study of emotional response to color and has become
an important consideration in advertising and product design. In fact, color is
so important in branding that in 1985 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that colors
can sometimes be a trademark eligible designation of origin.

Color
psychology

How
an individual reacts to color is influenced by culture, ethnicity, gender and
age as well as the specific shade of the color. Kate Smith, CMG, CfYH, a
recognized color expert and the founder and contributing editor of
www.sensationalcolor.com, explains the general responses to color for people in
the Western Hemisphere in her article A Glimpse into the Meaning,
Symbolism and Psychology of Color. According to Kate, the responses
are based on research, historical significance of color and word association
studies. Here is Kate’s analysis.

Red has
more personal associations than any other color. Recognized as a stimulant, red
is inherently exciting and the amount of red is directly related to the level
of energy perceived. Red draws attention, and a keen use of red as an accent
can immediately focus attention on a particular element.

Orange, a
close relative of red, sparks more controversy than any other hue. There is
usually strong positive or negative association to orange and true orange
generally elicits a stronger “love it” or “hate it” response than other colors.
Fun and flamboyant orange radiates warmth and energy.

Yellow shines
with optimism, enlightenment, and happiness. Shades of golden yellow carry the
promise of a positive future. Yellow will advance from surrounding colors and
instill optimism and energy, as well as spark creative thoughts.

Green occupies
more space in the spectrum visible to the human eye than most colors, and is
second only to blue as a favorite color. Green is the pervasive color in the
natural world, making it an ideal backdrop in interior design because we are so
used to seeing it everywhere.

Blue is
the overwhelming “favorite color.” Blue is seen as trustworthy, dependable, and
committed. The color of ocean and sky, blue is perceived as a constant in our
lives. As the collective color of the spirit, it invokes rest and can cause the
body to produce chemicals that are calming; however, not all blues are serene
and sedate. Electric or brilliant blues become dynamic and dramatic – an
engaging color that expresses exhilaration. Some shades of blue may come across
as cold or uncaring.

Purple embodies
the balance of red’s stimulation and blue’s calm. This dichotomy can cause
unrest or uneasiness unless the undertone is clearly defined, at which point
the purple takes on the characteristics of its undertone. With a sense of
mystic and royal qualities, purple is a color often well-liked by very creative
or eccentric types and is the favorite color of adolescent girls.

Pink can
be youthful, fun, and exciting, and some have the same high energy as red; they
are sensual and passionate without being too aggressive. Toning down the
passion of red with the purity of white results in the softer pinks that are
associated with romance and the blush of a young woman’s cheeks. It’s not
surprising that when giving or receiving flowers, pink blossoms are a favorite.
Pink is the color of happiness and is sometimes seen as lighthearted. For women
who are often overworked and overburdened, an attraction to pink may speak of a
desire for the more carefree days of childhood.

Brown says
stability, reliability, and approachability. It is the color of our earth and
is associated with all things natural or organic.

Gray is
the color of intellect, knowledge, and wisdom. It is perceived as long-lasting,
classic, and often as sleek or refined. It is a color that is dignified,
conservative, and carries authority. Gray is controlled and inconspicuous and
is considered a color of compromise, perhaps because it sits between the
extremes of black and white. Gray is a perfect neutral, which is why designers
often use it as a background color.

Black is
authoritative and powerful; because black can evoke strong emotions, too much
can be overwhelming. Black represents a lack of color, the primordial void,
emptiness. It is a classic color for clothing, possibly because it makes the
wearer appear thinner and more sophisticated.

Monday, July 29, 2013

The cycle of doom is the nightmare of everyone who works to attract prospects and customers. It occurs when you find yourself without a steady, predictable stream of high quality prospects that turn into customers. As the cycle progresses, every day can feel like a challenge. Where are the next leads coming from? Where are the customers you're looking to gain?

"Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start." - Nido Qubein

If you're stuck in a cycle of doom, you need to establish a system for attracting your ideal leads -- the people in your market who are looking for what you sell. Rest assured, such people do exist. The problem is that not enough of them know about your services and products.

That's where your lead generation system will come into play.

"The fact is, everyone is in sales. Whatever area you work in, you do have clients, and you do need to sell." - Jay Abraham

Thousands of books and articles are written each year about the marketing and selling process. There are many variations and specific nuisances, but most of these resources can be distilled down to three relatively simple, uncomplicated steps.

The first is to determine exactly who your ideal customer is. The next is to make them aware of the solutions your products and services provide to solve their pain. The final step is to engage and answer any questions and objections before closing the sale.

Any lead generation system you create needs to employ these strategies in order to make it a predictable source of continuous, high quality prospects. Testing and measuring for what works best for your business is a never ending and continual process. The important thing is to have an actual framework and base system in place to build upon.

Outbound marketing (direct mail, telemarketing, and traditional media) still works today, but you need to have a strategy in place first to attract and convert the type of audience you are hoping to reach. Blasting out unwanted information to the wrong audience didn't work well in the past, and it doesn't work today either.

Many businesses have learned that nonstrategic social media posts and email blasts have the same characteristics as any other marketing fail. Offering low value content leads to nonengagement, which ends up producing low quality leads and zero customers.

The scariest feeling in business is not knowing where your next sale and customer are coming from. Everything is unsettled. You don't have the necessary confidence, and you don't control the conversation. As a result, you end up bending and twisting on price just to get a sale.

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments." - Jim Rohn

Getting out of the cycle of doom requires strategic thinking. Who do you want as a customer? What does this customer need in order to make decisions before they purchase what you sell? Where are the places you can communicate these messages with this customer?

Creating a system sets the groundwork for a predictable pipeline -- one that allows for a reserve of prospects and suspects you can rely on and pull from as needed. It also has the added benefit of giving you the luxury of turning down prospects who are not a good fit for your business.

When you have a systematic approach and tweak it until it works predictably, you control the process. Your business is in demand, and your services are valuable and scarce.

Become a valuable resource for the prospects you seek. Let them know on a consistent basis about the value you provide. Make it easy for them to find your valuable information. Systematize your process, and the cycle of doom will be an old nightmare that gets buried for good.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Pablo Picasso created paintings the world has marveled at for decades. Looking with awe at these masterpiece creations, it would be perfectly logical to imagine that the distinctive brush strokes were made by someone with a natural gift -- a gift not achievable by most.

Although Picasso's talent is undeniable and his style unmistakable, that genius was actually developed in a surprising way that many don't realize.

From the time Picasso was a young boy, he was formally trained by his father in oil paintings and figure drawings. And what method did his father use to train young Pablo? Jose Picasso was an artist who believed the best training for his son required formal and disciplined copying of the masters' work. For many years, young Pablo Picasso fervently reproduced paintings, drawings, and plaster casts of the masters. He not only copied religiously but also experimented with a variety of styles, theories, and ideas, until he developed his own voice and distinctive style.

So what does this have to do with business?

The ideas of meticulous practice and of learning a skill by emulating the leaders in a field are not as common today as they were in the days when apprenticeships were more common. In a world that craves instant gratification, people often overlook the hard work required to develop any talent and simply assume it just comes naturally to those who are gifted.

The good news is that there is a short cut. The bad news is that even the short cut requires some sweat equity.

Not everyone can become a Pablo Picasso. Not entirely because of the natural talent gap (though that's part of it), but also because of the not-wanting-to-put-in-the-hard-work-required gap.

There's incredible power available to you in muscle memory. Muscle memory is "consolidating a specific motor task into memory through repetition." When any task is repeated over and over, a muscle memory is created which allows one to perform the task almost effortlessly.

Olympic and professional athletes, concert pianists, and all other performers in the top of their field are perfect examples of muscle memory in action. They have practiced and performed so often that their performances seem to be effortless. That is the power of muscle memory.

Muscle memory can also apply to business mastery. It requires finding the leader in the field, analyzing and dissecting what they have done, and then recreating and reproducing those skills, often while adding your own unique style and flair. Practice often until muscle memory takes over. If it worked for Pablo Picasso, it can work for you.Posted by Chuck Gherman

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Henry Ford, the famous Ford Motor Company founder, was known for many things. Among them was his role in promoting the assembly line as a viable means for mass producing automobiles, a process that made cars more affordable for middle class Americans.

Ford had a global vision with consumerism as one of its centerpieces. He had an intense commitment to lowering costs through systemization and building a more process driven company.

This focus made his next move (which is not as well known) quite a shock at the time.

The Five Dollar Workday

In January 1914, Henry Ford made a radical decision. He increased Ford Motor Company employee wages from $2.34/day to $5/day (equivalent to approximately $110 today) and reduced the workday from nine hours to eight.

While this was one of the most generous pay hikes of its time, Ford didn't do this simply out of the goodness of his heart. At the time, the Detroit area was already becoming known for companies offering higher than average pay. In addition, the boredom of repetitious, assembly line work led to higher employee turnover rates. One of the underlying reasons behind Ford's move to increase wages was the desire to attract and retain top notch employees by effectively creating golden handcuffs.

Ford used his PR machine and news journalist contacts to spread the word about the generous pay. Soon, there were thousands of applicants at every Ford factory, which allowed the company to hire only the best applicants. The fortunate hires stayed with Ford much longer than they otherwise might, since they couldn't get similar pay elsewhere. In one bold move, Ford had managed to solve most of his company's labor problems.

But higher employee retention was only one benefit of Ford's plan. Within two short years of the pay raise, Ford's profits increased by 200% to $60 million per year. Within five years, Ford Model T's were rolling out at the rate of one every 24 seconds, much faster than the 12 days each had initially taken to produce. By the end of 1914, the 13,000 Ford Motor Company employees were producing 260,000 automobiles annually, while the rest of the automotive industry produced 280,000 combined.

At the time, much of corporate America did not view employees as an asset. Instead, they were seen as part of a company's expense. With this single move, Ford was able to open the eyes of the corporate world. Ford had created a workforce that became a model for the eight hour workday and HR departments of today. More importantly, he set the pace for the eventual rise of middle class America. Ford employees could actually afford to buy one of the cars they produced.

With the $5 per day pay hike, Ford was able to reduce employee turnover, increase the pool of high quality applicants, reduce absenteeism drastically, and attract top notch employees. The corresponding morale increase led to the highest productivity rates in history.

So what's the moral of this story? What can we glean from it and apply to our own companies in the 21st century?

When companies shift their mindset from viewing employees as an expense item on the financials to an asset with vast potential, they can begin to see brighter possibilities for the whole company as well. Employees who truly believe they are appreciated and feel valuable to their company are much more likely to be highly productive and happy with what they are doing. Content employees are much less likely to actively seek opportunities elsewhere. Loyal, long-term employees lead to stability and customer satisfaction.

Henry Ford made a big splash with his five dollar workday. The same kind of impact can be made today by implementing innovative ideas that show employees you appreciate what they do.

Studies and surveys have shown that higher pay is not the top motivator for employees to stay with their company. Feeling valued, being content in their role, and accomplishing larger goals are more important criteria. Find effective ways to instill those feelings in your employees, and you can make your own splash.

Monday, July 1, 2013

While the economy seems to be slowly recovering, it's far from smooth sailing, and many organizations are still struggling to find firm footing. Even so, you don't have to look hard to find organizations that are thriving. What's the secret behind these companies that the struggling ones haven't found?

It may be tempting to think that lowering prices is the best way to compete in a struggling economy. When times are tough, people think longer and harder before making the choice to buy something. But this doesn't mean they will always opt for the cheapest option. If they did, Apple wouldn't be the brand leader it is today. There are many inexpensive alternatives to Apple's popular products, yet they continue to break sales records with each successive new product release.

The Internet has made it easy to compare prices and find the cheapest alternative. Only one company can be the cheapest, and the low price shopper will spend as much time as necessary to find what they are looking for.

This type of person is not your target customer because they will leave you as soon as they find someone else offering a lower price. There's no brand loyalty in this game. Instead, it's a race to the bottom, with eventual closure its only prize.

A Better Approach

The much better approach is to increase the value you bring to your marketplace instead of lowering your prices.

This value could be found in offering helpful knowledge. It could mean offering bonuses such as free shipping, discounted membership or special scholarships to students. It could be as simple as a friendly, smiling person greeting customers in person or on the phone. The more value you can find and bring to the table, the less impact price will have as the sole factor for buying what you sell.

When you bring value like that, you become invaluable to your community and to the types of customers you want to attract. These are customers who won't leave you for the latest sale by the low price companies. Instead, they're real customers who come back because they appreciate real value.